Comelec to hold plebiscite on San Isidro, Sawata renaming on April 11

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold a plebiscite on April 11 to ratify the renaming of the Municipality of San Isidro and Barangay Sawata in Davao del Norte.

The Comelec said the plebiscite is in line with Republic Act No. 11814, or An Act Renaming the Municipality of San Isidro as the Municipality of Sawata and its Barangay Sawata as Barangay Poblacion in the Province of Davao del Norte. The measure lapsed into law on June 2, 2022.

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According to Comelec Resolution No. 11202, voting on plebiscite day will run from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with vote counting starting at 3 p.m.

The convening of the Municipal Plebiscite Board of Canvassers will begin no later than 5 p.m., while the canvassing of votes and proclamation of results will take place from 5 p.m. until the results are officially proclaimed.

The plebiscite period is scheduled from March 11 to April 18, 2026. During this period, the Comelec said the following acts are prohibited:

• Alteration of the territory of a precinct or establishment of a new precinct

• Bearing, carrying, or transporting firearms or other deadly weapons in public places, including any building, street, park, private vehicle, or public conveyances (even if licensed to possess firearms unless authorized by the Comelec)

• Suspension of elective local officials

• Transfer or detail of officers and employees in the Civil Service

• Organization of maintenance of reaction forces, strike forces, or other similar forces

• Illegal release of prisoners

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The following activities are also not allowed from March 11 to April 11:

• Appointment or hiring of new employees

• Creation of filling up of new positions

• Promotions of giving of salary increases, remuneration or privilege

• Appointment or use of special policemen, special/confidential agents or the like

• Use of armored land, water or aircraft

• Wearing of uniforms and bearing of arms

• Raising of funds through dances, lotteries, cockfights

• Cockfighting and other forms of gambling, holding fairs, boxing, and/or any other similar sports

With the campaign period set from March 21 to April 9, removing, destroying, obliterating, defacing, tampering with, or preventing the distribution of lawful plebiscite propaganda is not allowed.

During the plebiscite day, the following activities are prohibited:

• Giving and accepting free transportation, food, drinks, and things of value

• Selling, furnishing, offering, buying, serving, or taking intoxicating liquor

• Carrying deadly weapons in the polling place

• Soliciting votes or undertaking any propaganda for or against a “YES” or a “NO” vote within the polling place or within a radius of 30 meters thereof

• Opening of booths or stalls for the sale of merchandise, refreshments within 30 meters from the polling place

• Holding of fairs, cockfights, boxing, horse races, or similar sports

The Comelec also said that there will be no voter registration in San Isidro, Davao del Norte, on April 10-11, 2026.  /mcm